Do You Ever Feel Guilty

[Jamie]

I dont think we can keep comparing animals to humans.

But surely wasn't every pet we have originally from the wild? Cats, dogs, fish, rabbits...etc etc??? Should there be a case for these also?

I'm an animal fanatic and volunteer at a wildlife park which was founded as a recue centre, and is still run as one, it maybe open to the public but no animal there has been bought. They are all rescues and un-wanted. I would like nothing more then to see animals in there natural habitat, but the captive bred animals that you refer to are kept (by most) in excellent conditions catering for their every need in the safety of a well sized viv/tank/cage. These animals never seem stressed and are happy to be there.

I'm sure everyone who comments on this thread would feel different if they saw an adult beardie in a tiny viv for example. But in general these animals are well catered for.

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by carlo69

and just because an animal doesn't turn round and say i want to be free

To be honest though, if I came home from work and one of my spiders actually said that.....I'd probably adhere to his/her wishes!!

and then sit down for a few moments until the voices in my head stopped!!

[quizicalkat]

Originally Posted by animalsbeebee

I just wondered if any of you enthusiasts feel guilty about having animals banged up in cages their whole lives,years ago we use to use the excuse it was to captive breed instead of wild caught,whats the excuse now.

NOPE

[animalsbeebee]

I would imagine in your eyes you do look after these animals well,what happens when you have a child born in a cellar ,not able to express natural behaviour,they are screwed up.I never said you should not keep animals i am not anti far from it,have had one of best collections in uk many years ago,i just wondered how defensive you would be just being asked a simple question.When antis do ask why you keep these animals your answers are shit.

[carlo69]

Is all this overly defensive behaviour linked to guilt i wonder Hmmmmmm I think so........I think the simple answer is we keep these animals for our own enjoyment not theres , We made the choices not them they live the life we give them not the one they would choose to live .

[htf666]

Do the people who keep chamelions feel guilty for extending the lives of their animals from a measly one year in the wild to five in captivity?
Do the keepers of Crested Geckos feel ashamed for saving what was very nearly an extinct species and making it into a very commonly kept animal?
Do I regret forcing my snakes to live in clean healthy surroundings which are mite free, with access to vetinary care, where they seem to want to breed prolifically without any predators to bother them.
Most importantly, after reading the replies on here don't you regret asking such a dumb question on a forum of reptile lovers when just a moments though would have supplied you with the answer? Harry

[bendigo]

Originally Posted by animalsbeebee

I would imagine in your eyes you do look after these animals well,what happens when you have a child born in a cellar ,not able to express natural behaviour,they are screwed up.I never said you should not keep animals i am not anti far from it,have had one of best collections in uk many years ago,i just wondered how defensive you would be just being asked a simple question.When antis do ask why you keep these animals your answers are shit.

kept in a cellar? didnt that exact thing happen recently, and to be honest they all said each person came out of there and is doing fine...
anyway,your right, the habitats arent completely natural, infact ill go dump some birds of prey in my leos viv as thats whats in there natural habitat! of course the majority of animals are kept in the best way they can, these animals have been studied for years so we CAN recreate there natural habitat!

and as for our answers always being as you say there really not, antis are just always poking holes and refusing to listen to others point of view, if the animals are well cared for and make the people happy why shouldnt we have em.

housing, electricity, hot water. these things wouldnt be our natural habitat but i dont see you in a hury to give that up

[linda.t]

Originally Posted by animalsbeebee

I would imagine in your eyes you do look after these animals well,what happens when you have a child born in a cellar ,not able to express natural behaviour,they are screwed up.I never said you should not keep animals i am not anti far from it,have had one of best collections in uk many years ago,i just wondered how defensive you would be just being asked a simple question.When antis do ask why you keep these animals your answers are shit.

so u have no pets what so ever then.

[Siman]

Originally Posted by animalsbeebee

I would imagine in your eyes you do look after these animals well,what happens when you have a child born in a cellar ,not able to express natural behaviour,they are screwed up.I never said you should not keep animals i am not anti far from it,have had one of best collections in uk many years ago,i just wondered how defensive you would be just being asked a simple question.When antis do ask why you keep these animals your answers are shit.

1. Less of the swearing please
2. Thats a ridiculous statement, and your ignoring all replies and just spouting your own opinion so whats the point in this thread?

Originally Posted by carlo69

Is all this overly defensive behaviour linked to guilt i wonder Hmmmmmm I think so........I think the simple answer is we keep these animals for our own enjoyment not theres , We made the choices not them they live the life we give them not the one they would choose to live .

Who are you to say what they would choose? End of the day no one can win the argument because its opinion based, people who keep reptiles keep them to prolong the reptiles life and for their own enjoyment, is that a bad thing? Would reptiles prefer to live a lot less, have to hunt for themselves and sometimes not even find food, face the harsh realities of life outside or would they rather be looked after?

[Ian.g]

Originally Posted by animalsbeebee

I would imagine in your eyes you do look after these animals well,what happens when you have a child born in a cellar ,not able to express natural behaviour,they are screwed up.I never said you should not keep animals i am not anti far from it,have had one of best collections in uk many years ago,i just wondered how defensive you would be just being asked a simple question.When antis do ask why you keep these animals your answers are shit.

i for one can see the reasoning behind your question, but as has been said we cannot compare reptiles to humans, they are for the most part mentaly very basic creatures...snakes for example (my main passion) in the wild even the largest boids tend to live very solitary confined lives even when they do have the opportunity of miles and miles of habitat! most will find a good solid safe hideaway and stay there except to drink feed and look for potential mates...captivity (in well looked after animals) provides them with optimum conditions temperature wise, and a steady supply of food and water and also in a lot of cases the opportunity to spread there genes, snakes are quite simple creatures (mentaly) IMO and as long as provided with the same requirements they have in the wild, a safe retreat, a steady food and water supply optimum environmental conditions and the opportunity to reproduce then they are absolutely no worse off than in the wild! as has been said at least in captivity they dont have to deal with predators, parasites, starvation pollution and other issues...i am all for snakes in their natural habitat but i also feel that as long as catered for properly a snake is CERTAINLY no worse off in captivity than the wild, and especialy in the case of captive bred individuals.